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Education Abroad

"You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart always will be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place." - Miriam Adeney

Education Abroad opportunities at Metropolitan Community College include short-term, faculty-led group experiences and independent experiences that range from weeks to a year-long experience.

MCC’s Credit Courses Abroad/Away (CCA) programs have offered study experiences for over 400 students. CCA programming was paused in early 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.
 At MCC, CCA programs involve two MCC full-time faculty members who lead a short-term study abroad or away experience for students enrolled in a credit-bearing course. Abroad programs travel outside US borders. Away programs travel within the contiguous USA (48 adjoining U.S. states and the District of Columbia of the United States of America).
A gradual return to CCA programming has begun. A team of faculty and staff met to propose reinstatement of CCA programs. Additional faculty with CCA experience provided online feedback to this team.
MCC full-time faculty are invited to complete a Credit Courses Away proposal to lead students on credit bearing study experiences within the contiguous USA during the Summer 2024 academic term.
APPLICATION LINK
E-mail interculturaled@mccneb.edu to request an application.
Applications are due Tuesday, September 5, 2023
In collaboration with IFEX, virtual Zoom sessions will be held to assist with CCA application completion at the following times:

ZOOM SESSION FOR Friday, June 16, 10 – 11 am. CDT
ZOOM SESSION FOR Monday, June 26, 2-3 p.m. CDT
ZOOM SESSION FOR Tuesday, June 27, 12-1 p.m. CDT
Individual virtual or in-person sessions may be scheduled through 8/15/23 for those who would like assistance with the application, but cannot attend at the times listed above. Contact interculturaled@mccneb.edu or 531-622-2253 for more information.

Students who have completed the FAFSA, are in good financial aid standing and have related coursework available in their MCC degrees may be eligible for study abroad scholarships and/or student loans. To explore MCC education abroad experiences, contact interculturaled@mccneb.edu or 531-622-2253.

Funding for Independent International Experiences:

Critical Language Scholarship

A program of U.S. Department of State and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs—the Critical Language Scholarship Program will offer intensive summer language institutes overseas in 13 critical-need foreign languages for summer 2017. The selection process will be administered by the Council of American Overseas Research Centers with awards approved by the U.S. Department of State and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The CLS Program will be administered by CAORC and American Councils for International Education. Visit clscholarship.org for more information.

Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship Program

The Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship Program is an undergraduate grant program for U.S. citizens of limited financial means to enable them to study abroad, thereby internationalizing their outlook and better preparing them to assume significant roles in the increasingly global economy. Such international exchange is intended to better prepare U.S. students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world. 

More than 2,800 scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded this academic year for U.S. citizen undergraduates to study or intern abroad. Award amounts will vary depending on the length of study and student need.

Applicants who are studying a critical-need language while abroad in a country in which the language is predominantly spoken will be automatically considered for the Critical Need Language Award, for a total of $8,000. Please note that this award is competitive and offered to a limited number of students each year. During the 2015-16 academic year, 70 Critical Need Language Awards were offered. Visit the Gilman Scholarship Program website for more information. 

FEA Rainbow Scholarship

The FEA Rainbow Scholarship, hosted by the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA), awards up to $5,000 to an American LGBT study abroad student. Details about the scholarship application can be found at fundforeducationabroad.org.

Fulbright Grants

The Fulbright Program is recognized as the U.S. government's flagship program in international educational exchange. Fulbright grants are made to U.S. citizens and nationals of other countries for a variety of educational activities, primarily university lecturing, advanced research, graduate study and teaching in elementary and secondary schools. Visit cies.org for more information. 

The National Security Education Program

The National Security Education Program administers grants to individuals and institutions for projects that will lead in developing the national capacity to educate United States citizens to understand foreign cultures, strengthen US economic competitiveness and enhance international cooperation and security. Visit nsep.gov.

Check back for new information and courses
in the Study Abroad program.